CHULA VISTA ENDORSES BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS

CHULA VISTA 
A little more than a month after endorsing tougher gun laws, the City Council also threw its unanimous support behind a proposal to ban military-style assault weapons.

The five-member council voted Tuesday to approve a resolution supporting Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s bill to ban the sale, transfer, manufacturing and importation of 157 firearms identified by name.

Four Chula Vista residents who spoke before the council were skeptical about the benefits of such a bill, and expressed concern about the motives and unintended consequences behind a proposal that they said would not prevent criminals from obtaining the weapons.

Hugh Copeland said a similar federal ban from 1994 to 2004 didn’t make a dent in violent crime.

“I think this regulation is not going to change anything,” Copeland told council members.

“Taking away guns has clearly been shown to increase crime,” he said.

Council members acknowledged that the law might do little to prevent the violent crimes that sparked council action two months ago, but that every little bit helps, and this is a start to addressing the issue.

“I don’t think this is going to do it, but if it helps a little bit, I think it’s worthwhile,” Councilman Rudy Ramirez said.

“This activity today, I think we should do it, but let’s not kid ourselves: This isn’t going to make a big difference,” Ramirez said.

In order to make a big difference, he said, the community needs to have an energetic discussion about all of the aspects of violence, including mental health.

Mayor Cheryl Cox said that violence needs to be addressed with a menu of remedies, and this bill, if passed, would be simply one item on the menu.